DIgital radio station Metal Express Radio have recent interview with Jon Lord posted on their website. The direct link is www.metalexpressradio.com

DB#jl700222 (with thanks to Mick Burgess / www.metalexpressradio.com)

The May 2008 issue of BBC Music magazine has Jon Lord in their feature called Music That Changed Me. He cites five works, all first heard in 1960 or earlier. It's on the news-stands now. Look for the classical magazine with the glamorous female cellist (or similar) on the cover!

NY#jl700221

Purple Records have announced the release of Jon Lord's Gemini Suite original studio album on CD at long last. This album, never issued on CD in the UK before, has been held back in order not to clash with any of Jon's new albums. In addition to the regular jewel case version, there will be a limited edition in a gatefold digipak case, with a selection of three different covers reproducing the rare American covers.

This title (and the limited editions) can be pre-ordered from dpas mailorder.

Release date late May. Read more here.

SR#jl700221

An interview with Jon Lord was broadcast in the net by Planet Rock Radio on Saturday April 4th. Fortunately the show is due to be repeated on Tuesday, April 8th, at 6pm (GMT). As Planet's blurb goes: "The ex Deep Purple keyboard maestro picks his favourite tracks of all time and explains why he ended up on the organ. Plus, find out if Deep Purple really DID know they shared their name with a particularly strong brand of illegal substances and who Jon thinks is the ultimate guitar hero."

Skip on over to the David Coverdale page for more Planet Rock news.

DB#jl700220 (with thanks to Joerg Planer)

Jon Lord and The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra performed Durham Concerto (a classical piece to celebrate Durham University’s 175th anniversary) on 20th October 2007 inside Durham Cathedral. A university spokeswoman said that: "the work has been specifically composed for Durham University by Jon Lord." The event was open to the public, and Peter Judd has sent us a review:

DPAS Live Review: Durham Concerto, 20th October 2007

The Durham Concerto was due to be recorded in Liverpool with The Royal Liverpool Symphony Orchestra at the end of July 2007. There is a website at http://www.durhamconcerto.com/, which contains more information and also samples of the music.

Jon Lord's Durham Concerto was performed again on April 5th 2008 at Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, alongside Michael Nyman's new work GDM (a celebration of the London Routemaster doubledecker bus), and Django Bates' "genre-mingling" What It's Like To Be Alive, a piano concerto. An eclectic evening indeed!

DPAS Live Review: Durham Concerto, 6th April 2008

SR#jl70021210

As previously reported, Jon Lord took part in the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra's "ASO plays Deep Purple" event from Mar 27th-29th. The unanimously enthusiastic press reviews mention a full performance of The Concerto, with Jon joined by The Zep Boys for the band sequences. In the second half of the show The Zep Boys and The ASO performed Deep Purple tracks such as 'Speed King' (with string arrangements by Justin Kearin) and 'Smoke On The Water' (arranged by Dom Harvey). Jon reappeared to contribute to 'Child In Time'. For a full press review, check out the Adelaide Now website.

DPAS Review : Jon Lord & The ASO : Adelaide Festival Theatre, March 29th 2008

NY#jl7002191

(with thanks to Andrew Grandison, Graeme Milton and Chris Body)

Jon Lord's work for piano and orchestra 'Boom of the Tingling Strings', was performed on December 7 / 8 2006, with pianist Nelson Goerner, and the Odense Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Mann. The concerts took place in the Carl Nielsen Hall of the Odense Koncerthus in Denmark as part of the main subscription concert series of the Odense Symphony Orchestra, of which Paul Mann is principal conductor. The concert programme also included music by Weber and Carl Nielsen.

The following week, EMI Classics recorded Boom of the Tingling Strings (Nelson Goerner, piano), and Lord's work for string orchestra Disguises (Suite for String Orchestra) with the Odense Symfoniorkester, Paul Mann conductor. Please note Jon Lord does not be play on the album. 

The last movement is apparently fiendishly difficult, described in a tongue-in-cheek way by Jon as his ‘revenge on concert pianists’, whom he has always envied for their keyboard talents. Former EMI Debut artist Nelson Goerner is said to rise admirably to the challenge, moving Jon Lord ‘to tears’ at the recording sessions with his deftness of touch and sensitivity.

This title can be ordered at dpas mailorder and isl shipping now. (clever of them to pick a bank holiday for releasing it!).

See also the EMI press release.

SR#jl7002182

Jon Lord has two more performances lined up for the UK in 2008:

July 26. 2008 : Weston Park, Weston-under-Lizard (near Birmingham).
August 16. 2008 - Castle Howard, Yorkshire.

No exact details of who will be performing, but the programme is set to include The Durham Concerto, Boom Of The Tingling Strings and other work.

SR#jl700220 (Our thanks to James Bateman for the information.)
photo: Bryan Greene

Jon Lord is on the cover, and is featured in a lengthy article about the Durham Concerto, in the March / April 2008 issue of Fanfare (a US based classical music magazine).

Copies are available in mid-February through the official Fanfare website, which also includes a lengthy feature / interview about the Durham Concerto.

DB#jl700216
(with thanks to Jeff Breis)

The studio recording of The Durham Concerto will be released in late January 2008 on CD. Recorded in Liverpool in 2007, it lasts almost an hour. Jon Lord is one of the featured soloists.

The CD can be preordered now from dpas mailorder

There are some sample clips from the CD (in both audio and video formats) at www.jonlord.org

SR/DB#jl7002133

An interview with Jon Lord from November 2007 has been posted on the Metal Express Radio site.

Here`s the link: http://www.metalexpressradio.com/index.php. The interview is listed at the bottom of the page.

DB#jl700215 (Mick Burgess, www.metalexpressradio.com)

According to the Adelaide Advertiser, "Jon Lord will join the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for three exclusive Australian concert performances next year." He will apparently be performing The Concerto as part of the "ASO plays Deep Purple" concerts booked for the Adelaide Festival Theatre on March 27th, 28th and 29th 2008. although symphonic versions of tracks such as 'Highway Star' and 'Child In Time' have also been mentioned. Jon is quoted as saying that "The ASO are well regarded internationally and I am thrilled to be working with them in these magical concerts."

Ticket bookings for ASO plays Deep Purple can be made through BASS.
DB#jl700214 (with thanks to Andrew Gr)

Keep up! This is a re-release of the Live At The Basement DVD, which remains exactly the same as the version you probably already have (and which features Jon Lord). In with this is an audio CD of the very first Hoochie Coochie Men Studio CD. This predates the collaborations with Jon Lord, and was only ever issued in Australia back in 2000. .

SR#jl700214 (Thanks to Greg Soder)

Classic FM are airing the Jon Lord Durham Concert recording at short notice on Sunday 4th November 5.00pm to 7pm. Katie Derham show.

SR#jl7002130 (Thanks to James Bateman) photo: Simon Robinson

The official Malcolm Arnold website has announced a new performance of Concerto For Group & Orchestra. This will form a centrepiece of the 2007 Malcolm Arnold Festival which will be held at the Royal & Derngate Theatre, in the composer’s hometown of Northampton, over the weekend of October 6/7 2007. The gala evening concert planned for the main auditorium on Sunday 7th will see Paul Mann conduct Jon Lord and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in a special recreation of the original Deep Purple/RPO concert at the Albert Hall. Jon will play the keyboards, and according to an advert in the Guardian newspaper, Roger Glover wil also be taking part.

The evening is currently structured to run as follows:

• Jon Lord : Masque (Jon's musical portrait of Sir Malcolm from his Disguises piece). • Sir Malcolm Arnold : Symphony No.6 (as performed back in 1969). • Interval • Jon Lord : Concerto for Group and Orchestra

SR#jl7002155. Thanks to Tim Summers and Mark ... for details..

News coming in of a concert by Jon Lord, his band and an orchestra in Germany on February 15th 2008. This will feature the Hagen Philharmonic Orchestra. We don't yet know if this is a one-off or heralds a long-awaited tour. Tickets are priced at between 19,50 and 35,00 Euros, and more details can be found at www.stadthalle-hagen.de/termine/index

The venue site lists Jon's hits as Smoke On The Water and Here I Go Again.....

NY#jl700217 photo: Peter Rossen

It looks as if the Jim Capaldi tribute concert from January this year  is coming out as a twenty track double CD at the end of August. Jon  Lord is listed as playing on three tracks (alongside Joe Walsh, Bill  Wyman and others), but may well feature elsewhere.

The CD is shipping week beginning August 13th and can be ordered from dpas online. The DVD is not due until the end of September, but can be pre-ordered.

SR#jl7002161 (thanks to Nigel Young))

photo: Peter Rossen

According to the local newspaper in Trondheim, 'Adressavisen', Jon Lord will perform at the Hell Music Festival 2007 premiering a composition called 'From Darkness To Light'*. In addition local television news in Trondheim says that material from his earlier works will also be performed. Jon himself will appear and play organ and piano. The Trondheim soloists and two choirs will also participate. The concert will take place on the last day of the festival, Sunday 1 July in the 'Nidarosdomen' cathedral in Trondheim, where Jon played a concert in 2003. Our thanks to Hans Peter Jenssen in Trondheim for the news. As Jon now hasn't played properly in the UK for six years, maybe we should organise a coach trip!

*From Darkness To Light is not entirely new, as a choral work with the same  title was performed as a Millennium commission in one of  the Henley  churches at the time. The same piece is to be played at Hereford  Cathedral on 11 May 2007, performed by the cathedral school. (Thanks  to Peter Judd).

Update : DPAS Live Review : Jon Lord / Nidarosdomen, Trondheim. July 1st 2007

SR#jl7002132

The special two hour ITV South Bank Show programme on Sir Malcolm Arnold is out in DVD and features a contribution from Jon Lord talking about the Concerto. It's not been an easy title to track down, but if you missed it on TV (as we did), dpas online are stocking it.

More details in DTB issue 59.

DB#jl700214

The Paice Ashton Lord DVD includes the ten track Sight & Sound In Concert show from March 1977 (including a never before screened bonus track), along with the 50 minute Lifespan documentary, which tracked PAL during auditions, rehearsals, and back-stage. It includes further live footage from the UK tour. None of the material has ever been issued officially before. The title is available now, with distribution via Pinnacle in the UK and AFM / Soulfood elsewhere. You can order at dpas online.

LIMITED EDITION: dpas online are handling a very limited edition which contains (along with the regular 4 page booklet) a DVD sized exact reproduction of the rare UK tour programme. All pre-orders will automatically get this edition.

FIRST THOUGHTS : We've had sight of a test copy and can report that it's a pretty good release all round. The BBC show is much less worrying than I recall. It's well filmed (in a slow deliberate BBC style) and Ashton's nerves don't seem nearly so obvious now, though he's clearly feeling tense (and loses his way in "Remember The Good Times"!). They run through pretty much the whole album, and there's great stuff from both keyboardists and the drummer in particular. The Lifespan documentary is way better than any of the dodgy pirate copies I've seen in the past. It's such a thorough piece of work we'll find ourselves cursing that not all Purple related projects were covered in such detail. There's half an hour of film shot in rehearsals, the studio and auditions, followed by half a dozen full songs on stage at Birmingham. As far as I know this is all the film of PAL ever made, so full marks to T2 for getting it together.

The DVD is trailed on the T2 site, T2 are doing some promotional shirts to mark the release and dpas online will have some of these available for a short time. There are photos from the release in our DPAS Photo Gallery. The DVD looks set to appear in Japan via TAMT.

SR#700197

The second Hoochie Coochie album is progressing well. Bob Daisley sent Jon Lord a copy of the rough tracks in advance, and he went into studios in London on July 19th to lay his keyboard work down, with Bob Daisley on hand, and Darren Schneider at the desk (he engineered "Abandon" amongst others). The album is rooted in r'n'b, but is mostly new material written by Bob, with a couple of covers. Whilst Jon is obviously my favourite Hammond keyboard player, seeing him at work in the studio showed just how aware of everything he is when doing work like this. A listen to the track to refresh his memory; jotting down some ideas on paper, a run-through on the Hammond, and then a take, followed by a second if necessary and then a retake on parts he felt he could improve on without spoiling the immediacy of the take. Jon should be on most of the album, and was full of enthusiasm for the material. All we need now is to try and persuade them to tour! Images from the session courtesy of T2Media.

SR#700207